The Villa de Madrid Country Club, host this week of the Mutuactivos Open de España Masculino, has unveiled the renovation of the last 9 holes of the Yellow Course, known as the Ballesteros because Seve Ballesteros himself designed them in the early 1990s. The project will be carried out by the golf course design company of his great friend and partner in unforgettable matches, José María Olazábal (Olazábal Design, SL).

The presentation was carried out by the Basque golfer himself and Juan Carlos Vera Pró, Manager of the Villa de Madrid Country Club, who welcomed the attendees to the course "on a very special week". 

José María Olazábal was the one who revealed the details of the project. The Basque golfer emphasized his desire to leave the course in top condition “for golfers who play a couple of times a month. It’s an update, as I have great respect for the design of my good friend Seve. We’re going to adapt and adjust the design for the people who regularly play this course: larger, more responsive tees and greens to keep the course in perfect condition all year round,” he explained.

Furthermore, the new drainage and irrigation system aims to "make field maintenance more efficient. The existing stream and trees must be taken into account, so it will be a laborious but environmentally friendly project.".

Furthermore, according to Olazábal himself, the bunker area is reduced and the playability for those players who do not have an extraordinary short game is improved.

It's worth noting that José María Olazábal will be present this week at the Mutuactivos Open de España. Regarding this, the two-time Masters champion stated that it will be “a special moment. It's my last year of exemption from the European Tour. I'm incredibly excited that all the Spaniards are here, and I don't know if I'll play many more Spanish Opens, so it will be very emotional,” he said.

Finally, José María Olazábal reminisced about the week at Wentworth, where he bid farewell to a tournament he won 25 years ago. “It was special. Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño was very mindful that it was my last appearance in the tournament. The organizers put all the Spanish players in the same heat, so when I finished, they were all there. It was a great surprise,” he concluded.

Access the Mutuactivos Open de España Masculino 2019 microsite below, in the Related Links section.